Worley: DNC chair trying to ‘beat Alabama into submission’

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The chair of Alabama’s Democratic Party accused the party’s national chairman on Tuesday of trying to…

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The chair of Alabama’s Democratic Party accused the party’s national chairman on Tuesday of trying to beat “Alabama into submission” by portraying the state party as in a shambles, just the latest twist in an ongoing dispute between state and national party officials.

In a written statement, Alabama Democratic Party Chair Nancy Worley said there has been an all-out attack on the state party since she won last year’s election as chairwoman. She said her opponents include U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, who endorsed a different candidate after calling for new leadership.

“From a continuous, ‘the sky is falling’ media assault on the party and its leadership, to the DNC’s withholding $10,000 per month to Alabama, they have bombarded the Alabama Democratic Party from every side” the statement released by the state party and Worley read.

In a letter Monday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said the national party was keeping funds from the state party because it had “fallen far short of meeting its basic obligations to develop an effective strategic plan and build the necessary infrastructure for success.”

He said Alabama is the only state where monthly party development funds have been withheld because of problems.

“The ADP has chronically underperformed in virtually every aspect of operation,” Perez wrote.

Worley called the letter just another example of her opponents “stirring the pot against the Alabama Democratic Party.”

The DNC in February ordered Alabama to hold new chair and vice-chair elections after finding there were irregularities with Worley’s election. The national committee also ordered the state party to revise its bylaws. The DNC last month stripped Worley and Vice Chair Randy Kelley of their seats on the DNC because of missed deadlines to hold the new elections and get new bylaws approved.

Both the DNC and the Jones campaign declined to comment on Worley’s statement.